Why Are Chip Bags Mostly Empty, and What If They Did That With Everything?
It’s the eternal question. Why does a bag of chips have to be as big as it is when the chips don’t even fill up half the bag? We’ve all opened up a bag of our favorite chips just to sigh as the container is about 60% air, but why do our awesome snacks keep smaller?
As you may have heard, inflation has a cousin called and it’s called “shrinkflation.” This is when the manufacturer cleverly keeps the price of the product the same. They also sometimes keep the packaging virtually the same. Sometimes the only change is the specifications printed on the side.
However, they “shrink” the product in size or even quality in some cases. Therefore, it looks like you’re getting the same exact thing, but you’re actually getting less and paying more.As the process takes hold on more items, the team at Coventry Direct designed a study to visualize product size reductions across different industries. They collected economic data to determine the average size reduction consumers can expect from shrinking product sizes.
They found that the average product reduction percentage is -11.84%. That’s right, for some of your favorite foods, you’re paying the same price for nearly 12% less.
There are some foods that they can’t do that with, yet. A dozen eggs are presumably always going to be twelve eggs. The package has stayed the same as well.
Using that reduction percentage, this is what the shrinkflation phenomenon would look like in other facets of life:
Health: You have a two-month prescription for your much-needed medication, but it runs out a week early.
Fast Food: A six-piece nugget meal only has five nuggets.
Movies: The average film is cut off 12 minutes early and we never see the end.
Houses: A four-bedroom house would only have three bedrooms.
Flying: A flight from New York to Los Angeles would land in Arizona.
If that’s not enough, you can find the full study and other fascinating product reductions here.
So why is the chip bag so big? Other than marketing, the manufacturers claim that the air in the bag keeps the product from being damaged. I tested their theory, and it failed. I rolled over the bag with my car, and the chips were crushed instantly. So, there’s that.
Caution: 6 Foods You May Want to Avoid at Restaurants
Tap Water
Even with filtration in place, restaurant water might not be as pristine as one would assume. A study conducted by the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences revealed that approximately 3-10% of water systems in North America have annually violated health standards set by the Safe Drinking Water Act, and this includes restaurants, as reported by the water filtration company, Quench. Unfortunately, it’s not uncommon to find germs and chemicals in restaurant tap water that could potentially affect the health of patrons. Common impurities detected in tap water supplies consist of microorganisms like bacteria, germs, parasites, and viruses, as well as substances like lead, chlorine, aluminum, pesticides, and others.
naumoid/ Getty Images
Raw Sprouts
If sprouts aren’t properly stored and cleaned, they can become quite risky. Unfortunately, when ordering food at a restaurant, we may not witness this process. Sprouts are commonly cultivated in warm, moist conditions, which makes them an ideal breeding ground for bacteria, according to Health Digest. Recent outbreaks of E. coli and Salmonella have been potentially linked to these greens.
Nataliya Kushnir/ Getty Images
Drink Garnishes
Bartenders often don’t have to follow the same stringent sanitary standards as the kitchen staff. As a result, the fruits used in drinks are likely to be unwashed, and they might sit out for days without refrigeration. According to Good Housekeeping, it’s worth giving a second thought to that citrus fruit you might be adding to your drink while dining out. A study revealed that 70% of these sliced fruits carry “over 25 different types of germs.” Contrary to popular belief, even alcohol doesn’t seem to do the trick in killing these germs. Good Morning America visited six restaurants and discovered that the lemons were teeming with “fecal matter” and even harbored the dreaded E. coli bacteria.
baibaz/ Getty Images
Fish
Consider giving those impromptu “All-You-Can-Eat” fish special days a second thought. The fish served on such occasions is often leftovers from a shipment received a few days prior, which means it may not be at its freshest. According to Healthline, fish not stored at the proper temperature might become contaminated with a toxin known as histamine, which is produced by bacteria in the fish. Moreover, Healthline highlights that cooking at regular temperatures does not eliminate histamine, making it a potential cause of food poisoning.
rez-art/ Getty Images
Bottled Ketchup
Whether your ketchup bottle is already on the table at a restaurant or brought to you by the server, chances are it has been handled by multiple people throughout the day or even longer. Making it a potential carrier of germs. Reader’s Digest explains that the reason these same bottles keep circulating is that the ketchup in each of them is often “married.” This means that as the volume of ketchup decreases in individual bottles, servers will combine the contents of several bottles into one. However, there is a downside to this practice: you may end up consuming ketchup of an unknown age or expiration date, leading to an unpleasant taste.
DGLimages/ Getty Images
Fresh Squeezed Juices
It might be worth reconsidering your choice, just as you skip adding garnishes to your drink. Freshly squeezed juices can be teamed with bacteria, unlike pasteurized juices. A study conducted by the MSU Extension reveals that most commercially sold juices in the United States are processed or pasteurized to eliminate harmful foodborne illness bacteria. However, when fruits are freshly squeezed into juice, there is a risk of harmful bacteria lingering in the finished product.
ValentynVolkov/ Getty Images
